Tire-rim tool



F. L. WILLIS AND H. 0. THOMAS.

TIRE RIM TOL.

PPLCTIUPJ FILED JUNE 2l, 1919. 1,349,541 Patented Auf. 10, 1920.

Y A l ampeyugp f. .WJZS i ..7 12017105 3*: MZ, v auml UNITI-:D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRN'K L. WILLIS AND HERBERT O. THGMAS, 0F SANTA ROSA. CALIFORNIA.

TIRE-RIM TOOL.

Application flied June 21, 1919.

To all whom 'it mag/concern Be it known that we7 FnANK li. lVIiILIs and Hnnuinrr O. THOMAH, citizens ol the United States., residing at Santa Rosa, in the county of Sonoma and State of (.alifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Tirellim Tools, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tirc rim tools` or in other words tools for contracting and expending the demonntable tire carrying` rims now in common use. and adapted to have pneumatic tires mounted thereon, said rims being of what is known as the split or tra nsversely divided type, and bein'nr capahle of contraction and expansion in the operation of removing and replacing a tire thereon.

The main object of the present inventioir is to provide a tool which is adapted both for contractingr and expanding such de mountable rim with ease and expeditiously and with a minimum amount of physical effort on the part of the operator, also over; comingr the liability of the rim tool slipping from the riIn dur1ng the operation on the rim. i"

W ith the aliove and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel construetion, combination/and arrangement herein fully described and claimed.

1n the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1. is a. perspective view of the im proved tool;

Fig. 2 is a dialnetricnl section through a demonntable rim showing the use of the tool during the rim contracting;r operation.

Fig. 3 is a` view similar to Fig. 2 showin the rim expanding operation.

"ign 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the outer end portion of one of the tension and thrust members showing the two positions of the respective rim engaging hooks in full and dotted lines.

F ig. 5 is a. detail section through the device illustratingr the means for connectingr the arms to the lever.

The tire rim tool comprises as the three main elements thereof, a lever 1 and a pair of tension and compression arms 2 and 3, the same being connected by horizontal pivots 4 and 5 to the lever 1. The pivots 4 and 5 are in the form of bolts provided with suitable shoulders and nuts as shown, so as to altord a pivotal movement between the members 2 and 3 on the one part and Specification of Letters Patent.

ulcnicd Aue'. l0, 1920. seran No. 305.?43.

the lever l on thc other part so that said parts oi the lool will work easily and without binding.

The pivots -l and 5 are arranged in spaced relation to each other on the lever 1 as 60 shown. and that portion of the lever which is located hetwccn said pivots 4 und 5 is laterally offset as shown to provide ample clearance vfor thc relative movement of the three mein portions or members of the de 65 vice dnringr the contractingT and expanding operation on the tiril carrying rim which is indicated at (i, said rinI bcin,r of the splittype to enable il. to he contractcil and expanded in the operation of removing a tire and replacirmr the same in a manner Well understood to those 'familiar with the art to which this invention appertains.

The main feature of the presenLinvention resides in thc hooks at the outerends of the tension and compression arms 2 and said hooksI aril represented at 7, each emhoilying,r a bill and a substantially square or rectangular shank H through which passes I1 horizontal pivot .(J by means of which the hook is horizontally pivoted to the outer extremity of the respective comlnession and tension members. Secured tixedly to the outer end portion of each oi' the compres sion and tension arms. is a fiat leaf spring 10 85 which extends aloner tlul top edge of therespective tension and compresion members and has a laterally spread irec end portion 11 which is designed to bear against either of two flat surfaces or edges '1Q a'nd 13 of the 90 tang or shank of the adjacent hook. By means oil the construction just described, the hook may be held by the respective spring,r in an extended or rim gfrippinpi position or it may he held by the same spring in a` folded position when sivnnzcr inwardly within the outer extremity of thc respective arm `as illnstratcd in Fig. 4, the last named figure showingsr the two positions of the hook in full and dotted lines.

When the bills ol' the hooks are moved downwardly below the arms, the upper longitudinal edges of thc shanks are disposed flush with the outer ends of the arms so as to cooperate with the same in forming Wide contact surfaces adapted for engaging they inner sides of the rim when the device is employed for spreading the rim. A

In order to contract a Wheel rim, the hooks are swungr outwardlv to the nnsitinn innetrntcd in Fig. 2 and n l'ter l-rngnging the sinne orur the odgvs of thv rini, thvl lover l in used to move tho compression :ind tonsion :Lrnis toward uni-h othur thoruhy vontrzicting the r'nn so that tinl tiril muy hu inowd thoroironi. In order to expand the rim, tho hooks zit the outer oxtrcnlitios of the minlirvbsion and tension nrlns nr'o swung inwardly :is shown in Fig. 3 und the extreme ends ol said nrlnh` 2 und 3 nro brought to huur against the inner taco of the rim :is shown in Fig. 3. As clinrl')r illnstl'utod in Fig. Il. the .slnlnlos of the hooks have their npper longitudinal. edges positioned lhlsh with thil forward ends of tho nrlns 2 und when thiy hillsy of the hooiA aro extendod downwardly ont of the way. By this constrnoiion 1| ido nontnr't snrt'auzv is presented to muh aidu ol thi-` rim so that tho possibility of the. ill-.rice slipping und injuring thioper-.ltor is eliminated. The luwr l is fnlrrnnwd to fori-e tinl :mns 2 und apart thurehy spreading thi` rin| to its full diameter, this lie-.ing donil without cndangering the hooks which uro folded at tho time out of the way. Tho tool is oolnpzmt and muy be stored within a Compartment of the automobil@ or motor truck. By providing one of the arlnS 2 and 3 with n longitudinal series of holes to receive thev pivot which attaches it to the lovor l, the tool as u whole may be adapted to wheel finis` of difA ferent diameters.

Vinit is olziinlod is:

l. A rixn Hprcnding :ind rontrar'tingr derive invlnding' n pnir ol' zirnm, moans lor moving 35 tho army longitndinnlly, hoolif` having rootatngnlnr shrinks horizontnlly pivotod to tho ontor portions ot' sind :mns :n the, sides ol thu sum1. und lnirinrgr hills :idziptvd to ho ,swing downwnrdly for positioning?f thtI np 4U por longitndinnl `edges ol' Suid Shanks fini-ih with thtl l'oi'wzild ends` of the arms for l'ormingr wide` rim vont-uvt si1l'fnres,ninl nnmns for soonringthe hooks in adjusted positiong.

2. A, rini sprawling and contracting dln 'nrc 45 imflndini,r n pnir o'l' amm, moans `t'orrnoing the :Irina lontgitlnlixntlly. hooks haring rw'A tnngnlnr Shanks horizonlull)y pivotud to the arms; :il thv` ontwA portion of tho suino, und provdvd with ,hills adapted to ho Hwng 50 downwardly l'or oxiiio|1ing` thv nppiir lungi indinnl ildp-w ol' mid slninlw Ihwh with lhg. onlor tmlnimilz y ol' tlm arms i'or forming` wido riin voidnrt und lint lv-.rl' springt- Awnrml to thv nppifr longitndinnl 5 edgvs ol' nid :lrnih und haring); thoir forward portions enlarged lati-.rally for vngating thu Shanks of said hooks whereby tho saine uro Secured in position.

In testimony hereof we allix onr signaL (50 tures. i 

